3/4/21

My two sketching pages with the basics of the plants and the birds.

The four bird species - I am not committed to these poses but it was certainly helpful for mapping out where each plant type should go and I will continue working with how to use the plants to show the natural coloration patterns of the birds.

I found panels on Dick Blick that I may order this week, if I decide to do the birds separately from each other. The more I look at the wood the more I am tempted to try wood burning. I am ordering a kit, which should get here this week, and I will experiment on some scrap wood. I still have almost 300 dollars on my grant for purchasing supplies so panels are within my budget.

If I do the birds on separate panels, this is likely what it would look like.

If I do the birds more as a single piece, this was the arrangement that I like the most though it was kind of awkward with four birds.

Hi Terri,

So I would place one bird on a format versus all of them on one.  Give them their space.  Also the sticks to perch on work better than having the bird float on the paper without anything to hold onto/context.

So when I speak to students about materials, we talk about:

•  the materials as driving the content- using paper that is from invasive plant species to speak about invasive species and what they do to our environment, for example
• the materials imply being a tool to express the content

It is up to you which direction you want to take this, though if you have never wood burned anything before, this may need time to master.

Do spend all of that money!

If you have ordered panels of a certain size, and I have that size, I could give you mine and you replace it when your panels arrive so you can get started. Or you start on nice paper, and then connect teh paper to the panels?  Let me know.

Also let me know if you want to meet today or if you would like to work.  You can text me as I am cleaning the studio today for tomorrows class.